Do Brits love their country?

[perro]

It's not a rhetorical question, I really don't know.

I'm curious to read British opinions on British patriotism.

[Canuck]

How can you love a country...?

Can you lie down in bed with it...?

[Stooo]

Where you are born is simply an accident of birth. That said, I quite like it here.

[perro]

How can you love a country...?

Can you lie down in bed with it...?

So you can only love something that you can lie in bed with? You can't love a concept or idea? Do you not love your freedom of speech?

Fine, replace "love" with "feel pride in" if it makes it easier to understand.

[perro]

...I quite like it here.

Why?

[Stooo]

...I quite like it here.

Why?

Tolerance, mild climate and good pubs. Also cats, cats always help

[perro]

...I quite like it here.

Why?

Tolerance, mild climate and good pubs. Also cats, cats always help

Dogs are better, but that's beside the point. I've no doubt many places have good pubs, and a mild climate.

"Tolerance" please elaborate.

[Canuck]

How can you love a country...?

Can you lie down in bed with it...?

So you can only love something that you can lie in bed with? You can't love a concept or idea? Do you not love your freedom of speech?

Fine, replace "love" with "feel pride in" if it makes it easier to understand.

It's dangerous when one relates subjective concepts or ideas to a country...

patriotism is as dangerous as religion...

It promotes supriority complexes and even racism...

jingoism...

It's a shit ideology...

Just as bad as religion...

Well... when you come to think about it... it's sorta like religion...

[Canuck]

...I quite like it here.

Why?

Tolerance, mild climate and good pubs. Also cats, cats always help

Mild climate...?

[Maddog]

How can you love a country...?

Can you lie down in bed with it...?

So you can only love something that you can lie in bed with? You can't love a concept or idea? Do you not love your freedom of speech?

Fine, replace "love" with "feel pride in" if it makes it easier to understand.

It's dangerous when one relates subjective concepts or ideas to a country...

patriotism is as dangerous as religion...

It promotes supriority complexes and even racism...

jingoism...

It's a shit ideology...

Just as bad as religion...

Well... when you come to think about it... it's sorta like religion...

Patriotism and tolerance for other countries are not mutually exclusive. Like any idea or concept, it can be perverted into evil, but it's not necessarily a byproduct.

[Maddog]

...I quite like it here.

Why?

Tolerance, mild climate and good pubs. Also cats, cats always help

Mild climate...?

Compared to Siberia, sure.

[perro]

How can you love a country...?

Can you lie down in bed with it...?

So you can only love something that you can lie in bed with? You can't love a concept or idea? Do you not love your freedom of speech?

Fine, replace "love" with "feel pride in" if it makes it easier to understand.

It's dangerous when one relates subjective concepts or ideas to a country...

patriotism is as dangerous as religion...

It promotes supriority complexes and even racism...

jingoism...

It's a shit ideology...

Just as bad as religion...

Well... when you come to think about it... it's sorta like religion...

I disagree. I think concepts like "freedom of speech", "representative govt" or even as Stoo brought up "tolerance" can be applied to the UK and a host of other democratic nations. People who's nations contain such concepts in their national life have a right to feel pride.

And one can love one's own nation without disparaging others.

As far as racism... that might apply to nations where ethnicity is the same as citizenship (like Germany) but not to nations that accept all races as citizens such as the UK.

[Canuck]

Patriotism and tolerance for other countries are not mutually exclusive. Like any idea or concept, it can be perverted into evil, but it's not necessarily a byproduct.

Racism and tolerance for other races are not mutually exclusive. Like any idea or concept, it can be perverted into evil, but it's not necessarily a byproduct.

Does that meke any sense...

If you think you are the best thing in the whole wide world you will always look down on everyone from a different country...

Yeah... you cn be tolerant to a ceetain degree being patriotic...

But you'll always be a chovinist asshole...

It's a stupid concept...

[Maddog]

Patriotism and tolerance for other countries are not mutually exclusive. Like any idea or concept, it can be perverted into evil, but it's not necessarily a byproduct.

Racism and tolerance for other races are not mutually exclusive. Like any idea or concept, it can be perverted into evil, but it's not necessarily a byproduct.

Does that meke any sense...

If you think you are the best thing in the whole wide world you will always look down on everyone from a different country...

Yeah... you cn be tolerant to a ceetain degree being patriotic...

But you'll always be a chovinist asshole...

It's a stupid concept...

My daughters come first in my life, but that does not mean I look down on other girls their age, nor do I think they are perfect, or necessarily better then other girls their age. I have pride in them and love them, but that does not alter the way I treat other people. Might alter the way I treat them.

[Canuck]

I disagree. I think concepts like "freedom of speech", "representative govt" or even as Stoo brought up "tolerance" can be applied to the UK and a host of other democratic nations. People who's nations contain such concepts in their national life have a right to feel pride.

And one can love one's own nation without disparaging others.

As far as racism... that might apply to nations where ethnicity is the same as citizenship (like Germany) but not to nations that accept all races as citizens such as the UK.

People in North Korea are probably very patriotic too...

Without freedom of speech, representative government, tolerance, etc, etc...

patriotism is subjective... It comes very handy for governments to dumb down the population...

That's why it's so dangerous...

What the hell are you on about Germany...?

Ethnicity same as citizenship...?